Sweeping-machine.



PATENTED MAR. 22, 19D4.

E. L. KEYES. SWEEPING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED SEPT. 21, 190s.

No MODEL.'

L. g .1.. w 1 I //v m w Patented March 22,. 1904.

PATENT EETCE.

ERASMUS L. KEYES, OF HOPEDALE, ILLINOIS.

SWEEPlNG-IVIACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 755,596, dated March 22, 1904. Application led September 21, 1903. Serial No. 174,09. i (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, ERASMUS L. KEYES, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Hopedale, in the county of Tazewell and State of Illinois, have made a certain new and useful Invention in Sweeping-Machines; andIde- 'clare the following' to be a full, clear, and eX- act description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure l is a perspective view of my sweeping-machine. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2, Fig. 3. Eig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. l is a section on the line 4 4, Fig. 3.

This invention has relation to sweeping-ma chines for streets, lawns, &c., and has for its object the provision of a simple and efiicient machine for this purpose.

Ilith this object in view the invention consists in the novel construction and combinations of parts, all as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the letters A A designate the carrying-wheels, upon which is mounted the box-form frame B,

open at the bottom at transverse rotaryV brushes C C being mounted in the side walls of said frame and having their bristles projecting beyond said opening. Above and central of said brushes is arranged the transverse shaft D, carrying the exhaust-fan D at its middle portion.

E is a guard and division plate, of a single piece of sheet metal arched around the brushes and bent vertically upward centrally of the box-form frame and around the fan-shaft, a metal casing Z around the fan joining' said plate E, this plate dividing the interior of frame B into a lower receptacle X for brushes, fan-shaft, and fan and an upper dirt-receptacle Z. At about the junction of the vertical and arched portions of the plate E extend downward at each side the oppositely-inclined "bottom boards F, forming the bottom of the dirt-receptacle Z, the fan-shaft casing CZ forming .a central vertical partition in said receptacle, from which lead off the inclined bottoms E.

The dirt-receptacle Z has a hinged door at front and rear at e e, such doors closing against the inclined boards E and each when opened allowing the discharge of the contents of onehalf of the dirt-receptacle at that side of the partition. This receptacle is also provided with ahinged perforated cover e', of wire-cloth or the like, which when opened admits of access to the fan, the casing of which has a hinged cover d and is open rearwardly at Z2 for exit of air and dirt carried therewith into its receptacle.

Suitable gearing G connects the brush-shafts with the carrying-wheel shaft to drive the brushes, a belt and pulleys g or the like connecting the fan-shaft with the carrying-wheel shaft at the opposite side of the machine.

In operation the dirt, grass, leaves, or the like are carried up between the rotary brushes into the fan-shaft casing, thence into the fancasing, and are discharged with the exhaustair into the dirt receptacle, the perforated cover ,e admitting of the escape of such air. In discharging the dirt the doors e are opened, as before stated, effecting an automatic discharg'e.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A sweeping machine, comprising the box-form frame, the rotary transverse brushes therein, the transverse fan-shaft and fan above and central of said brushes, the guard and partition plate inclosing said brushes fan-shaft and fan and dividing the box-form frame into upper and lower compartments, and partially dividing the upper dirt-compartment, front and rear inclined bottoms for the two halves of said dirt-compartment, and front and rear hinged doors for the same, substantially as specified.

2. A sweeping machine, comprising the box-form frame, the rotary transverse brushes therein, the transverse fan-shaft and fan above and. central of said brushes, the guard and division plate inclosing said brushes fan-shaft and fan and dividing the box-form frame into upper and lower compartments, and partially In testimony whereof I aHiX my signature in dividing the upper dirt-compartment, front presence of two witnesses.

ERASMUS L. KEYES.

Witnesses:

C. S. FLOYD, C. H. J INGLING. 

